Head of Belgrade Mission unveils plan of action to assist Serbia and Montenegro

BELGRADE, 13 February 2003 - Ambassador Maurizio Massari, Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia and Montenegro, today made his first address to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna and unveiled the Mission's plan of action to assist the newly-constituted State Union.

He outlined to the Organization's 55 participating State delegations a list of the Mission's priorities in helping to formulate the new Serbian and Montenegrin constitutions, which must be created in the coming months.

"One of our priorities", said Ambassador Massari, "is to assist this process through expertise so that the Republics of Serbia and Montenegro are furnished with the best possible constitutional mechanisms, given the socio-political environments in both Republics".

The OSCE plan of action which he outlined was developed after extensive consultation with actors from across the political spectrum in Serbia and Montenegro. In addition to emphasis upon constitutional assistance and ongoing programme activities, the OSCE Mission will increasingly target the following areas:

• Assistance to domestic war crime trials



• Assistance in the fight against human trafficking



• Support for the new parliament of the State Union, through staff and MP training and support for the parliamentary committee system



• Support for the democratic process in southern Serbia with more emphasis on institutional support and economic assistance.



• Further engagement in the fight against organized crime



• Implementation of necessary media legislation

The Head of Mission stated that Serbia and Montenegro must be credited for the political achievements in the past two years. He also stressed that continued effort to fight organized crime and further comply with the Hague Tribunal (International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia) would send a strong and positive message, showing that Serbia and Montenegro has chosen a fast track into the European family.

Ambassador Massari, who was appointed Head of the OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) on 30 October, last year, was also present at the Permanent Council when it decided to change the official name of his Mission. This was done in order to reflect last week's adoption by the FRY Assembly of the new Constitutional Charter of the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. In terms of changes to the documentation and information services of the OSCE this decision, which takes immediate effect, will be implemented as quickly as possible.